What did you do to your Ranger today? (Part Deux!)

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I agree. It doesn’t quite sound like a ground problem. But while you’re under there….

Sometimes with those dual filament bulbs, if the ground is messed up, they’ll ground through the other filament to some other point in the circuit that has a ground. That’s what causes some of the really weird stuff people ask about around here.

True, forgot about that, or rather I wasn’t really thinking of that since I have LEDs in there, lol

 

[Rick W]

True, forgot about that, or rather I wasn’t really thinking of that since I have LEDs in there, lol

I’m sure you know this, I’m just trying to help, but you know the LEDs have a positive negative, and if they’re wired backwards, they won’t work.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I do like that, except it's kinda pricey. Maybe I should put that on my U Pull list.

After buying my Tuffy console for the G-Unit... I thought a $100 was pretty cheap.

They're more function over form for sure. Steel construction bolted to the floor... simple... secure. I'm afraid I wouldn't know how to drive without my Motor City Lean going on too.

I like how it's a clean canvas too. My Tuffy is getting red led lights close to the bottom to see on the floor and not be blinded by the dome light. Map light... couple USB ports... couple 12 volt receptacles... switches to run all my stuff... etc...

Simple and highly functional...

I hope to put that smittybilt in my 06 one day.

 

[sgtsandman]

I noticed the mpgs have been up the last couple days. It makes me wonder if trying to keep up with Mr Lead Foot while towing over the weekend over the weekend blew some carbon out or if I have a catalytic convert on it’s way out again. The last time it happened, the driver’s side took a dump.

 

[Rick W]

Lincoln and I took the Missing Linc over to Harbor Freight today to get the receiver tube I needed for the Ranger semi. While I was there, I picked up some small D rings for hold down straps, a couple of polishing buffer things (I have 14 wheels I have to polish on this damn thing), and some other stuff to stock up the shed of miracles. I got a little welding done, but I wrote that up in the Ranger semi section.

 

[bobbywalter]

miracals.....


my shed isnt anything but stubbed toes and cuss words....

 

[bobbywalter]

NOT THE EXHAUST I need to be working on. Not looking good....

 

[bobbywalter]

sizing up the bronco for a 5.3 while i am in here.....

 

[MSGia]

Finally done installing my DJM 4/5 kit! Took several weeks because I was busy, but I missed driving it. Feels way lower driving it, I scrape on a few extra bumpy roads, but other than that I can still turn lock to lock. Might look into it.

 

[Lefty]

After buying my Tuffy console for the G-Unit... I thought a $100 was pretty cheap.

They're more function over form for sure. Steel construction bolted to the floor... simple... secure. I'm afraid I wouldn't know how to drive without my Motor City Lean going on too.

I like how it's a clean canvas too. My Tuffy is getting red led lights close to the bottom to see on the floor and not be blinded by the dome light. Map light... couple USB ports... couple 12 volt receptacles... switches to run all my stuff... etc...

Simple and highly functional...

I hope to put that smittybilt in my 06 one day.

You got me thinking, Uncle Gump. That's for sure. My little regular cab does not have very much onboard storage.

It's nothing I can do right away. Next week is shock absorbers.

 

[bobbywalter]

Finally done installing my DJM 4/5 kit! Took several weeks because I was busy, but I missed driving it. Feels way lower driving it, I scrape on a few extra bumpy roads, but other than that I can still turn lock to lock. Might look into it.

Looks great

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I’m sure you know this, I’m just trying to help, but you know the LEDs have a positive negative, and if they’re wired backwards, they won’t work.

I marked the sockets so I don’t have to guess, when I put them in, I verified function then marked the sockets since I used the Sylvania Zevo bulbs and they have a + marked on one side

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So… updates I guess. Back home, borrowed @sgtsandman ’s 3/4” torque wrench to get the axle nuts tightened on the 02 Explorer. That will be today, also need to size up some steel and order it for dad’s Ranger, finish getting the Choptop together and properly fix the wiring on the F-150.

I was getting all set to tear open the dash to get at the light switch so I could troubleshoot from there and decided to take another closer look at the rear wiring and well, apparently the splices I did years ago for the trailer wiring failed. There was an air gap for one of the wires and after poking around and moving the wires, all four failed. At that point I was pretty sure all of my lights were dead now. I had originally soldered and used “liquid electrical tape” on the splices and they failed. Of course, they were also right next to the electrical plug. I had stuff at home, but I wasn’t home. Decided to run up to the junkyard (I was at Lisa’s work when I was troubleshooting in the back lot so I borrowed her car and ran the couple miles to the junkyard). They were just getting ready to prep a smashed F-250 for the crusher and I cut a chunk of the taillight harness for no cost since it was going out the door and they were willing to help me.

So I stripped down the harness piece a bit and since I had my small electrical bag (but between that and the truck box I had none of the appropriate connectors), it got 4 small grey wire nuts to get me home, lol. I’m going to have to remedy the fact that I don’t have any of the correct connectors in either. That’s ok, I wasn’t really excited about stripping my truck harness in the parking lot and fitting this one in. Since I’m certain the wires that came apart are corroded pretty far back, I got about as much wire as I could without getting the entire harness (there wasn’t time or space to get at it, just a quick couple snips and a yank). Everything works now and magically it fixed my backup lights too. So I’ll get it properly fixed today or tomorrow.

Also found a beautiful 92 Ranger new to the yard. I’m in discussions with them about how much they are willing to sell, then I have to find some money, lol.

 

[RangerBilly]

Had to replace the upper radiator hose AND the ignition key lock cylinder today.

I should have replaced the upper hose at the same time that I replaced the water pump over the Independence Day weekend (see my previous post on this topic), as I had noticed it was swelling like a balloon, but I figured it would last a few more days.

And it did.

Then it ruptured like a balloon this morning. Lucky for me, it was AFTER I had dropped the Wife off at her job. Also lucky for me, I had bought a new hose the day before at Autozone. The new hose was a Dayco brand, part number 71654. About $15 but NOT made in China.

Replacing he lock cylinder was easy-peasy, but the radiator hose pointed at a different angle than the radiator inlet on top. This being due to a dual core radiator from a 4.0 being installed under emergency conditions three years ago. On a summer holiday as well!

Anyway, in order to get the hose end to line up with the radiator inlet without bending or kinking it, I cut off about one inch from its straight section, reversed it, then rotated it 180 degrees. I coupled it back to the longer part coming from the thermostat housing with a short piece of thinwall copper tubing, sealing both sides with a blue gasket maker (NOT Permatex.) This allowed the hose to mate with the radiator inlet at its preferred angle. I used stainless steel hose clamps all around.

This coupling is now directly UNDER the air intake tube.

Ran the engine to normal operating temperature until the thermostat opened (the temp gauge makes a sudden drop from the 12 o'clock position to the N in NORMAL), then took it for a short test drive around the neighborhood.

Happy to report no leaks!

I am not sure if this will be a permanent solution...perhaps the proper fix would be to install the radiator for a 3.0 so as to avoid these hose modifications.

We'll see how long this lasts...

 

[scotts90ranger]

The round corners on the front tires of my '97 Ranger was sketching me out, tried rotating them but the Jeep aluminum wheels that are in the back don't fit over the front hubs... so plan R? was the only pair of 5 on 4.5" wheels with matching tires that are roundish and would fit were on my Ranger bed trailer, they're older and have some cracks but should work...